Ezekiel 30 16

Ezekiel 30:16 kjv

And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.

Ezekiel 30:16 nkjv

And set a fire in Egypt; Sin shall have great pain, No shall be split open, And Noph shall be in distress daily.

Ezekiel 30:16 niv

I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium will writhe in agony. Thebes will be taken by storm; Memphis will be in constant distress.

Ezekiel 30:16 esv

And I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium shall be in great agony; Thebes shall be breached, and Memphis shall face enemies by day.

Ezekiel 30:16 nlt

Yes, I will set fire to all Egypt!
Pelusium will be racked with pain;
Thebes will be torn apart;
Memphis will live in constant terror.

Ezekiel 30 verses

Ezekiel 30 16 meaning

Ezekiel 30:16 proclaims divine judgment upon Egypt, emphasizing the direct and destructive action of God. It highlights the widespread and varied forms of suffering that will befall specific, strategically vital Egyptian cities. "Setting fire" denotes a swift and consuming act of devastation across the nation. Sin, a frontier city, is depicted as undergoing severe, trembling anguish. Thebes, a major capital and religious center, is prophesied to have its defenses breached and to be utterly exposed. Noph (Memphis), another ancient capital, is destined for continuous, unrelenting troubles. This verse signifies Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty and judgment over a proud nation, demonstrating that no city, however important or fortified, can withstand His decree.

Ezekiel 30 16 Context

Ezekiel 30:16 is part of a series of oracles (Ezekiel 29-32) pronounced by God through the prophet Ezekiel against Egypt. These prophecies date from approximately 587 BC to 571 BC, primarily during the period when Judah was facing its final destruction by Babylon and in the aftermath of Jerusalem's fall. Egypt, an ancient and powerful nation, was a consistent player in the geopolitics of the Ancient Near East, often acting as a deceptive ally or a tempting alternative to trusting Yahweh for Judah. God’s judgment against Egypt served multiple purposes: to demonstrate His universal sovereignty over all nations, to condemn Egypt's pride and idolatry, to show that those who put their trust in Egypt instead of Him would be disappointed, and to bring justice upon a nation that oppressed others and stood in defiance of God's plan. Verse 16 specifically lists three pivotal cities (Sin, Thebes/No, Noph/Memphis), detailing how the judgment will manifest differently yet destructively in each, illustrating the comprehensive nature of God's coming wrath. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did invade Egypt, fulfilling aspects of these prophecies, and Thebes was later ravaged by the Assyrians. The judgment is portrayed as a definite and pervasive humiliation of a once-great empire.

Ezekiel 30 16 Word analysis

• I will set fire (וְהִצַּתִּי֙ / və-hiṣ·ṣat·tî)

  • Word: From the verb יָצַת (yatset), meaning "to burn, set fire."
  • Significance: It emphasizes direct, intentional, and consuming action by God. This is not a passive or natural event but a divine act of destruction, symbolizing devastation and purification. Fire in prophetic literature often signifies God's wrath and judgment.

• to Egypt (לְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ / lə·miṣ·ra·yim)

  • Word: מִצְרַיִם (Miṣrayim) is the Hebrew name for Egypt.
  • Significance: It refers to the entire nation, signifying a comprehensive judgment, not merely isolated incidents. The mention of specific cities thereafter specifies how this widespread judgment will be felt.

• Sin (סִין֙ / Sîn)

  • Word: Likely refers to Pelusium, a strategically important fortress city on Egypt's eastern border in the Nile Delta, known as the "door to Egypt." Its Hebrew name might connect to a root for "clay" or "mire," referencing its marshy location.
  • Significance: Its position as a gateway made it a vital military objective. Its destruction would symbolize the breaching of Egypt's primary defenses, an entrance point for calamity.

• will writhe in anguish (תָּחִ֣יל חַלְחָלָ֔ה / tā·ḥîl ḥal·ḥā·lāh)

  • Word: תָּחִיל (tā·ḥîl) from חוּל (ḥûl) meaning "to writhe, be in anguish," often associated with birth pangs. חַלְחָלָה (ḥal·ḥā·lāh) is a reduplicated noun intensifying the sense of "writhing, trembling, great anguish, terror."
  • Significance: This describes intense, agonizing pain and overwhelming fear, like a woman in labor. It is a graphic portrayal of a nation's acute suffering and helplessness, particularly poignant for a city like Sin that was supposed to be a bastion of defense.

• Thebes (נֹ֖א / Nō)

  • Word: The Hebrew נֹא (No) refers to No-Amon, which is the great city of Thebes (Waset to the Egyptians), located in Upper Egypt. It was a religious and administrative capital, famous for its temples dedicated to the god Amon.
  • Significance: As a major center of power and worship of false gods, Thebes's fall would represent a profound blow to Egypt's spiritual and political core, undermining their idolatrous claims of divine protection.

• will be torn apart (תִּהְיֶ֥ה לְהִבָּקֵ֖עַ / tih·yeh lə·hib·bā·qê·aʿ)

  • Word: From בָּקַע (bāqaʿ), "to cleave, split, burst open, break through."
  • Significance: This indicates the forceful breaching of its formidable defenses, its walls being shattered, or its very fabric being rent asunder. It conveys total destruction and vulnerability, signifying the city's inability to resist its aggressors.

• Noph (נֹ֖ף / Nōp̄)

  • Word: Hebrew נֹף (Nōph), refers to Memphis, an ancient capital of Lower Egypt, renowned for its pyramids and religious sites dedicated to Ptah.
  • Significance: As another primary capital and cultural center, its judgment illustrates the comprehensive scope of God's reach into every sphere of Egyptian life and power.

• will face daily distress (צָר֣וֹת יֽוֹם־י֑וֹם / ṣā·rōwt yōwm-yōwm)

  • Word: צָרוֹת (ṣārōwt) means "distresses, troubles, hardships." יֽוֹם־י֑וֹם (yōwm-yōwm) means "day by day," or "daily, continually."
  • Significance: This emphasizes incessant, relentless, and prolonged suffering. It is not a singular, cataclysmic event, but an ongoing, grinding hardship that depletes and weakens, pointing to a state of perpetual decline and oppression for the city.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "I will set fire to Egypt": This phrase establishes God as the sovereign agent of judgment and highlights the sweeping, destructive nature of the impending doom. It implies an overwhelming, all-consuming devastation affecting the entire nation, not just localized regions.
• "Sin will writhe in anguish": This pairing links a crucial military frontier city with extreme, personal suffering, likened to birth pains. It conveys immediate, visceral pain and helplessness, indicating that even strategic strongholds will be utterly overcome by terror and suffering.
• "Thebes will be torn apart": This targets a major cultural and religious center. "Torn apart" speaks to a violent breach, shattering the city's defenses and exposing its vulnerabilities, signifying the breakdown of its physical and symbolic strength. This is a direct polemic against its god Amon.
• "Noph will face daily distress": This describes the ongoing, continuous degradation and suffering for Memphis. Unlike the immediate, sharp anguish or violent breach, this emphasizes a prolonged state of grinding hardship and sorrow, representing a slow, steady decline into despair.

Ezekiel 30 16 Bonus section

The precise naming of the cities and their specific fates reflects deep historical and strategic knowledge. Pelusium (Sin) was a known battleground due to its border location. Thebes (No-Amon), often linked with the mighty god Amon, later suffered a devastating sack by the Assyrians under Ashurbanipal (663 BC), a precursor and echo of further judgments that might come from Babylon or later conquerors. Memphis (Noph) symbolized ancient Egyptian glory and administrative power. The fulfillment of these prophecies by various conquerors over centuries—initially Babylonians, then Persians, and others—demonstrates the long-term impact of divine judgment on a nation that consistently exalted itself and resisted the Lord's ways. The level of detail also stands as a testament to the prophetic foresight, affirming that these judgments were not mere human predictions but divine declarations that transcend the immediate geopolitical landscape. This also reminds us that while judgment might seem harsh, it is rooted in God's righteousness against human pride, idolatry, and oppressive actions.

Ezekiel 30 16 Commentary

Ezekiel 30:16 presents a vivid tableau of God's comprehensive judgment against Egypt. Through specific pronouncements against three of its most vital cities—Sin (Pelusium), Thebes (No-Amon), and Noph (Memphis)—the prophecy underscores the inescapability and diverse forms of this divine wrath. The phrase "I will set fire to Egypt" confirms that Yahweh Himself is the executor of this judgment, emphasizing His sovereignty over all nations, including those seemingly invincible like Egypt. The differing descriptions of their fates—intense, trembling anguish for Sin, violent breaching and destruction for Thebes, and continuous, draining distress for Noph—highlight the nuanced but equally devastating impact of God's decree across Egypt's strategic, spiritual, and administrative centers. This passage serves to remind Judah (and all nations) of the futility of relying on earthly powers instead of the Almighty and asserts God's ultimate authority over history and the rise and fall of empires, ultimately stripping Egypt of its pride and exposing the powerlessness of its gods.